DUBUQUE AUDUBON
Peosta, IA
10/30/26
© Mary Leigh
Wisconsin
11/27/23
© Marty Corfman
Lock & Dam 13
11/23/25
© Paul Winer
Peosta, IA
11/16/24
© Mary Leigh
Peosta, IA
11/29/15
© Mary Leigh
Peosta, IA
10/21/25
© Mary Leigh
Peosta, IA
10/16/25
© Mary Leigh
Deere Dike Park, Dubuque, IA
10/10/24
© Marty Corfman
Bernard, IA
10/31/25
© Mary Leigh
Peosta, IA
10/20/2023
© Mary Leigh
Welcome!
Anyone interested in birding, nature, or the quality of the environment is welcome to become a member of the Dubuque Audubon Society.
Our tri-state region is a great place for birds, and one of the great things about birds is that you can enjoy them at all levels of involvement. You may be surprised how many different species we have in the area at different times of year and how quickly you can begin to identify many of them once you start looking. (Binoculars help!) Any time of year is a great time to be a birder, and we hope you’ll join us!
Our Mission
The mission of the Dubuque Audubon Society is to provide educational opportunities to the people of the tri-state area and to preserve the natural habitat of birds and other wildlife.
Upcoming Events
Sponsor: Captivating Shorelines (Envision 2030) with Friends of Dubuque Park
Maus Park Cleanup Day
Saturday, 11/14/26
8:30 AM – Noon @ Maus Park
Event Details
Facebook Event Listing
Dubuque Audubon December Program
Gorongosa Restoration Project in Mozambique
Thursday, 12/10/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
View Map
Jason Denlinger, a naturalist with Dubuque County Conservation, will share his experience as the Research Manager for Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique from 2015 to 2021. He worked with wildlife ranging from elephants and bats to a variety of birds, including aquatic birds and vultures.
The Gorongosa Restoration Project helped to restore this amazing African wilderness after the national park had been devastated by decades of war. The project has become a conservation success story through human development work in communities around the park in addition to reintroducing and protecting wildlife within Gorongosa National Park. Jason was privileged to play a role by providing scientific and logistical support to young Mozambicans and other researchers from around the world.
Jason will describe his work placing GPS trackers on vultures, conducting aquatic bird surveys, tracking and identifying elephants, organizing biodiversity surveys, and monitoring trail cameras. He will compare local and global conservation challenges, sharing lessons from Gorongosa and how his experience relates to his current work in Dubuque County.
Jason’s passion for nature and conservation grew through his experiences of camping, canoeing, and hiking as a Boy Scout in Dubuque. One of his first summer jobs was working for Dubuque County Conservation. After earning a biology degree from the University of Iowa, he served as a science teacher with the Peace Corps in Mozambique. Upon returning, he worked for the local Scouting program, before moving to New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina to teach again. Jason didn’t hesitate when afforded the chance to return to Mozambique and Gorongosa but is now back in Dubuque where he uses each of his experiences as an environmental educator.
Dubuque Audubon Annual Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, 1/2/27
(Backup Date: Sunday, 1/3/27)
Save the date! Check back later for details.
What is the Christmas Bird Count?
The National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is an early-winter bird census, where thousands of volunteers count birds over a 24-hour period on one calendar day. It is the longest running organized citizen science project in the United States! It began on Christmas Day in 1900, and today it happens in over 20 countries in the western hemisphere.
Each count takes place in an established 15-mile diameter circle, and the organizer picks a date in the range of December 14 to January 5. Dubuque Audubon’s circle is centered at Center Grove Cemetery, Dubuque, IA, and includes Swiss Valley, Mines of Spain, City of Dubuque, Western Dubuque, Deere Dike/north of Dubuque, Dubuque Airport, and western Grant County.
Over the decades, Christmas Bird Count data has been used in hundreds of analyses, publications, and government reports.
Calendar of Events
We hold monthly programs from September through May on a variety of topics related to nature and the environment.
We also hold an annual Christmas bird count, an annual Duck Waddle at Green Island (traditionally the 2nd Saturday in March), and an annual spring species count (traditionally the Saturday before Mother’s Day), and we offer additional field trips throughout the year.
You can tailor your birding to your interest and activity level, and all levels of experience are welcome.
Latest Newsletter
Click on image below to view.
Most Recent Posts
Supporting Birds
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
Something like 25 years ago, my husband and I didn't get around to trimming back our flowers in the fall, which was generally considered the thing to do at the time. This occurrence led to 3 surprises.
Supporting Birds
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
The long winter months are quickly approaching. Take advantage of this time to plan for how you can make your yard more attractive to a variety of birds. Choosing native plants will best support your local birds by providing food, shelter, and nesting sites appropriate to your area.
Supporting Birds
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
Something like 25 years ago, my husband and I didn't get around to trimming back our flowers in the fall, which was generally considered the thing to do at the time. This occurrence led to 3 surprises.
Supporting Birds
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
The long winter months are quickly approaching. Take advantage of this time to plan for how you can make your yard more attractive to a variety of birds. Choosing native plants will best support your local birds by providing food, shelter, and nesting sites appropriate to your area.
Surveys
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
2026 marked the 60th anniversary of the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)... The late George Crossley, a Dubuque Audubon member, began the survey route ... in 1967.
...
I have truly enjoyed the past 23 years of doing this route...
Events, Species Spotlight
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
On Monday, August 24th, I had the pleasure of leading a Chimney Swift Watch at Wartburg Theological Seminary.
...
I did my best to answer questions about the fascinating roosting behavior of these wonderful birds.
...
These incredible aerialists spend virtually their entire lives in flight, landing only to incubate eggs or roost at night.
Bluebird Monitoring
[from fall 2026 newsletter]
This year we started monitoring Eastern Bluebirds at the Mines of Spain on April 19th and ended with one final check in late August. We try to monitor weekly during the breeding season but slow down our inspections in August when the nesting activity slows.
News
Surveys
[repeated in fall 2026 newsletter]
On June 6th, Dubuque Audubon members conducted a breeding bird survey on the Sisters of Saint Francis property in Dubuque.
Spring Species Count
[from summer 2026 newsletter]
On Saturday, May 9, Dubuque Audubon conducted its annual spring species count. The count covered various areas in Dubuque and Jackson counties.
As an experiment in 2025, we are going to try creating a separate email list for those who would like more group birding opportunities.
Read more on our “More Birding” Email Sign-up page.
[Summer 2026 Update: We are starting discussions on how to proceed for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.]
Articles of Interest
- Video: Poison Ivy and Parsnip Identification (5:12) (Iowa DNR, Summer 2025)
- How do Birds Keep Themselves Clean? (National Audubon Society, Spring 2025)
- Leave wildlife babies where they belong — In the wild (Iowa DNR, 5/7/25)
eBird
eBird isn’t just a way for you to keep track of the birds you see; it’s a great resource for finding birds you’ve never seen.
Try out the links below to explore Dubuque County in eBird.
Learn about eBird on our Resources page.
Protecting Birds from Window Strikes Day & Night
National Audubon Society articles on efforts to reduce bird collisions:
Dubuque, IA